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MONROEVILLE, Pa. — School bus drivers for Gateway School District have voted to remove Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1729 as their bargaining representative.

The school bus drivers were allowed to conduct the vote after driver Robert Williams, who received free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, and his coworkers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a secret-ballot election four times.

Of the roughly 105 bus drivers, 102 signed the fourth petition filed with the NLRB asking for a secret-ballot election to determine whether to keep ATU as their exclusive representative.

According to the National Right to Work Foundation, ATU union officials moved to block the workers' petition, arguing that not enough time had passed for the workers to request an election. On May 8, an evidentiary hearing was held in Pittsburgh, at which Williams was represented by foundation attorneys. The NLRB last month decided to allow the election to proceed.

On June 27, 87% of the school bus drivers casting ballots voted to remove ATU from their workplace.

"As a result of the decertification victory, these bus drivers will now be free to negotiate their own terms and conditions of employment, and be rewarded on their individual merit," said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation.

The drivers are employed by Student Transportation of America, which took over Gateway School District's transportation service in July 2013.

Way to go, Pennsylvania! Congratulations. Getting rid of the ATU is a major victory. Good luck on your future negotiations. Hopefully this will promote better relations with your district. To answer Rich G., I believe all you have to do is petition the NLRB for a decertification vote. The Union won't like it but there really is nothing they can do about it.

Ed Hortsch | Jul 12, 2014 09:22 AM

It'll be interesting this Fall, as our district is without a contract which expired April 15th. My guess it won't be business as usual and we may need to follow this plan if push comes to shove. Stay tuned!

Dave B | Jul 11, 2014 05:13 AM

The drivers in our district are also unhappy with our union representation can anyone tell us how to start this process. email;[email protected] or 315-482-4234.

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